India deputes first woman chargé d'affaires to Islamabad
Pakistan
Geetika Srivastava is expected to take up her assignment shortly after term of Dr Suresh Kumar ends
(Web Desk) – The Indian High Commission has, for the first time, posted a woman as chargé d’affaires in Islamabad.
Geetika Srivastava, is however, second female diplomat posted in Pakistan. Earlier, Britain has posted Jane Marriott CMG OBE as high commissioner.
Ms Srivastava is expected to take up her assignment shortly after the term of Dr Suresh Kumar ends.
It may be noted that after Aug 5, 2019 revocation of special status of Indian-occupied Kashmir, relations between the neighbours sored and there has been no full-time high commissioner in Islamabad and New Delhi.
Islamabad had expelled former high commissioner Ajay Bisaria in 2019 and decided to downgrade diplomatic ties with New Delhi.
Ms Srivastava belongs to the 2005 batch of Indian Foreign Service. She ahs also served in China. She speaks Chinese (Mandarin) fluently.
Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, she has also served as regional passport officer in Kolkata and director in the IOR Division of the Ministry of External Affairs.
Ms Srivastava is presently a joint secretary in charge of the Indo-Pacific Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi.
The division looks after India’s multilateral diplomacy with ASEAN, IORA, FIPIC, and other entities in the Indo-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, Saad Warraich, at present posted as director general for Afghanistan, Turkey, and Iran at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been nominated as Pakistan chargé d’affaires to New Dlihi.
